Anyone ever seen the cheap IP camera that you simply scan the bar code with your phone and then the camera will show up in the camera makers app?

How does that work without doing anything on your router? No port fwd, vpn etc

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Those are generally 'P2P' (Peer to Peer) network type cameras and if so, have advantages to some but IMO, are outweighed by its disadvantages.

They're easy to set up, no DDNS needed, no port forwarding...basically anyone with a smartphone and Wi-Fi can do it. But therein lies the rub....you're likely going to be on a cloud somewhere and quite possibly, a fee will be forthcoming. You will be chained to their whims, rules, security and the speed and reliability of their server. Most important (to me) you likely won't be able to access the camera stream and not able to use an app other than theirs or PC-based VMS software (like
Blue Iris).

I was just wondering how it worked. I've got friends buying them telling me how easy it was to setup and how i need to upgrade so i don't have to mess with a VPN or do anything to my network.

They are buying them off
amazon for around $50 from no name companies. Does not sound very secure to me so what happens when this company goes away will the camera no longer work? or will it not work once the app is outdated.

I was just wondering how it worked. I've got friends buying them telling me how easy it was to setup and how i need to upgrade so i don't have to mess with a VPN or do anything to my network.

They are buying them off
amazon from no name companies. Does not sound very secure to me.

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I commend you for finding out before jumping into the fray. As said, if that's all you want out of a cam and can live with those conditions, then that's one's choice. You're right...your friends are taking a chance.

You are also on the right track re: a VPN, as port forwarding is a no-no.

Setting up a VPN can be daunting for a novice, but it doesn't have to be. Lots of info on this forum about it. And it's like a lot of things in life: anything worth having takes some effort.

I was just wondering how it worked. I've got friends buying them telling me how easy it was to setup and how i need to upgrade so i don't have to mess with a VPN or do anything to my network.

They are buying them off
amazon for around $50 from no name companies. Does not sound very secure to me so what happens when this company goes away will the camera no longer work? or will it not work once the app is outdated.

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Just say no to P2P or cloud anything.
They are the ones that need to upgrade, not you. They could be creating a security nightmare for themselves.
Do it right the first time, via Ethernet cable and POE.

Its like the Ring, Nest, Arlo users that show up here and want to replace the 6 month old cams, with something worth having.

They are probably going to pay more for their "easy to use system" with crappy cameras

They are going to get less video quality for the same $$ you spend

They are going to create a security nightmare for themselves by playing around in that space (PTP, UPnP, unknown servers and unknown companies) while lacking any technical understanding of how "unknown companies" security/update protocols might affect them

and potentially end up with their cameras just being part of a botnet (like bp2008 comic illustrates) or exposed via search or vulnerability to anyone interested on the internet

but fortunately, they probably won't know what a botnet is or how many people might be watching their video feeds (creepy!), and in this case ignorance will be bliss!

They are probably going to pay more for their "easy to use system" with crappy cameras

They are going to get less video quality for the same $$ you spend

They are going to create a security nightmare for themselves by playing around in that space (PTP, UPnP, unknown servers and unknown companies) while lacking any technical understanding of how "unknown companies" security/update protocols might affect them

and potentially end up with their cameras just being part of a botnet (like bp2008 comic illustrates) or exposed via search or vulnerability to anyone interested on the internet

but fortunately, they probably won't know what a botnet is or how many people might be watching their video feeds (creepy!), and in this case ignorance will be bliss!

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Actaully speaking those wifi cams 20-30usd ones can't say AS a security camera, just as a simple Toy. If only for fun, i think can bear for it, lol.